Untitled [side view of seated woman] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn created this ink on paper drawing of a seated woman, though the date is unknown. Diebenkorn’s gestural marks and stark contrasts reveal the body as both present and absent, solid and dissolving. This echoes the mid-20th century re-negotiations of gender roles. The woman is drawn from the side in a domestic setting, yet her gaze confronts us. Is she inviting us in or challenging us? Diebenkorn’s time serving in the military during the Second World War and his return to a changed American landscape led him to explore new approaches to figuration. While this piece is reminiscent of traditional portraiture, it also subtly challenges those conventions by showing a nude woman in a position of power. This tension adds to the emotional depth, making it a powerful statement about identity and representation.